I used to suffer from daily headaches – they would radiate through my neck and shoulder on left side of my body.  It would go from the left side of my neck down my arm, along my spinal column, and often into my teeth,ear and eye.  It was debilitating.  I hurt so much I found myself needing extra sleep just to get some relief.  I find a way to take a 2-3 hour nap almost every day even with a toddler and a pre-schooler!  If I was riding in the car for longer than 10 minutes, I would fall asleep.  I was irritable, miserable, and utterly unpleasant to be around.  

I actually didn’t even realize how bad the problem was until I had learned that the over-the-counter pain-killers that I had been using all the time to mask my symptoms were wreaking havoc on my liver.

When I learned that, I decided I needed to find a different solution for what I believed were “occasional” headaches. (I couldn’t even admit to myself at the time that I took pain relievers every day).

When the pain killers were no longer an option as a crutch, I tried all sorts of natural therapies, and supplements,  and more… with no real change in how I felt.  I had tried having various tests done to figure out what was wrong with me too.  Here’s just a glimpse into all that I did to make the pain go away.

o   MRI’s

o   dental exams

o   chiropractic visits

o   elimination diets

o   massage therapy

o   blood tests for lyme

o   blood tests for genetic disorders

o   napropathic visits

o   acupuncture

o   pain creams

o   crazy quantities of supplements    

A few years ago, I got started with this kit of oils, and a handy little reference guide (like an encyclopedia just for oil use).  I looked it up and started trying some of the oils in the kit, and found a blend that took the pain from an 8-9 down to a 2-3 – more than anything else I had tried in years of trying natural solutions!  Life was so much more manageable!  Finally I could make it through the day!

Not long after that,a friend of mine invited me to attend an online class about ditching toxins.  I had already been trying to do that, and found it extremely challenging to do all the research needed just to pick a new toothpaste, let alone everything else, so I was definitely interested to learn what I could from her.  She shared details about the chemicals in everyday products, how they aren’t regulated and how disruptive they can be to our health.  She shared with me a simple way to get started making swaps that meant hours saved researching and money saved not making mistakes, not to mention they were less expensive AND there were ways to save even more.  Her challenge to that class was “what if you made just one change per month”?  What would life look like?  Well, we committed to that – actually we committed to as many changes as we could afford each month. 

And that’s when the miracle happened….

I woke up one day, and realized I couldn’t remember the last time I had used that beloved oil to take my pain level from a 8-9 to a 2-3.  I couldn’t remember the last time I had woken up in pain.  The last time I felt so irritable and miserable because of another headache.  I couldn’t remember! 

And I also couldn’t figure out what in the world had made it go away.    Was it a supplement?  I hadn’t been very consistent about using any one thing…  I was overjoyed that my pain was gone, but had no way of sharing with others what had been the magic behind my miracle.  I wanted to see other people experience what I had too.

Then, I got my answer.  I had set up a booth at a vendor event, and this time (for the first time) my neighbor at the event sold scented home fragrance products.  Almost instantly, the left side of my body hurt again.  I put up a wall between our two tents, applied oils under my nose, and stood as far away as possible. But it wasn’t enough.  

I went home that evening at sat at the kitchen table and just cried.  I told my husband that the pain I was in was how I felt EVERY SINGLE DAY not that long ago.  It was a mixture of feeling sick and miserable, and an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I finally knew why I consistently felt good now, when I hadn’t for as long as I could remember.

The thing I learned that day was this:  Disease (or dis-ease) is a lack of things being ease-y.  It’s because something is dis-rupting that ease.

We live in a world where toxic chemicals are the norm.  But our bodies are designed to be in nature, with plants, smelling the leaves, the flowers, the dirt, and the air.  And just like enjoying the great outdoors is best without garbage, toxic air, and polluted water, our bodies work best without pollution too. 

You can’t supplement your way, medicate your way, or test your way back to health if you aren’t willing to take the toxins out of your environment.

If I were to give a recommendation on how to move forward from wherever you are right now, it would be to get a Premium Starter kit with the diffuser of your choice.   (I love the Desert Mist – it’s beautiful, budget friendly, and durable!) 

Moving forward doesn’t mean just one step.  It means one foot in front of the other.  One step at a time.  As you learn about those 12 oils, start making swaps.  Household cleaners, hand soaps, toothpaste, hand sanitizers…  In your second month, grab the Thieves Essential Rewards kit.  That was my next step, and it was a big one. 

After that, keep going.  Laundry soap, dryer sheets, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, skincare, makeup, deodorant, moisturizers, home fragrance…  ditch the chemicals and replace them with trusted products from Young Living.

Maybe you have to be in an environment for some reason where you don’t have full control to ditch the chemicals.  There will always be environments we don’t have control of.  Maybe the cleaning products at the gym or work, it could be the soap at a friends house, or the fragrance inside a store.  Do your best with what you have in your own control.  Help spread the word – everyone starts somewhere, and you could be the person who helps bring change for someone who is hurting like I was just by speaking up! 

For the toxins we are exposed to that are outside of our control, we drink Ningxia Red as part of our daily lifestyle.  It helps our bodies gently detox the chemicals, provides amazing nutrition, and tastes delicious!  It’s an antioxidant supplement that is packed with vitamins and minerals (quite literally too many to list on the bottle).  Our whole family drinks 2-4 ounces (sometimes more) each day.